Twenty Years ago I was at a particularly low point in my life.  Since I believe we do have within ourselves more strength than we think we have, I decided to do something about it.

I decided I needed to fill those hours I was spending on the road in my work with something other than my thoughts.

So I went to a bookstore and bought some motivational cassettes. (Before the day of CD's).   One of those cassettes was the audio of a new book just out by Barbara Johnson, entitled "Pain Is Inevitable But Misery Is Optional...So Stick A Geranium In Your Hat And Be Happy."

That cassette made me cry....but it also made me laugh, and I listened to it time and again.  It really taught me more about how to cope with grief and pain than anything else I have read.

When one of my cousin's mother died and she has having a difficult time accepting it, I bought a copy and gave it to her.  She loved it so much that she purchased multiple copies for her brothers and sister as well as for all her employees.

However, one does not have to be coping with grief to love this story.  It is a great read for anyone, and it will inspire all who read it.

Johnson is a well-known humorist, speaker, and author.  She has written several books, but what makes this one unique is that it is her personal autobiography.

It is believable because she has lived every page.  It chronicles her life through a terrible car accident of her husband followed by the unexpected and tragic deaths of two of her sons as well as the loss of a third into what she calls the dark shadows of homosexuality.

This woman sank so far into depression that she reached the point of planning to kill herself.   Her autobiography chronicles how she got to that point and how she fought her way back.

Amazingly, throughout,  even in her darkest hours, she can still find some humor in life.  

If you have never read this book, or even if you have, I recommend it for every person but especially for those who may be trying to cope  with the loss of a child or loved one.

I promise it will not deepen your grief, and I believe it can help you. 

It is available on e-bay and on several other websites.  Just google the title.  I noticed one website had used copies for as low as 1.99.

 


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